Boys to pay $617 in rampage

Two boys will pay about $617 in restitution each to cover part of the nearly $20,000 in damage they caused to a house under construction on Linwood Road in Halfway last October.

That figure, which was agreed upon by both boys' parents Wednesday in Washington County Juvenile Court, represented what wasn't covered by the homeowners' insurance as well as expenses incurred while the home was being repaired, according to prosecutors.

The 9-year-old said he was sorry for what happened.

Judge John H. McDowell expressed reservations about the youngster's understanding of the severity of the incident.

"There are a lot of unanswered questions here," McDowell said. "You are very polite and quiet but I understand you never smile - there is a lot of sadness in you."

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The boy's mother blamed his demeanor on medications he's taking.

McDowell ordered the boy to write a letter to the victims, apologizing for the damage he helped cause.

When Washington County Sheriff's Department deputies went to the 1147 Linwood Road home shortly after 8 p.m. on Oct. 6 they found that more than a dozen windows in the home were broken and that drywall had been smashed with a baseball bat.

Mirrors throughout the house were smashed, also with a baseball bat.

The investigation revealed the two boys arrived at the house earlier in the evening and were seen by the homeowner who had been there working on his property.

Shortly before 8 p.m., after the homeowner left, the pair stood outside and threw mud balls through the windows, deputies said.

Then they went into the house and began smashing the drywall with baseball bats, deputies said.

Because of the extensive damage, the family was unable to move into their new home for another month.

Both boys admitted to one count of malicious destruction of property in court Jan. 15.

While the older boy's parents also agreed to the restitution figure Wednesday, the disposition of the charge was delayed so a further evaluation could be done.